Steve Klein L-45-7

Steve Klein L-45-7

16,500.0019,500.00

Steve Klein's 45.7 is named for its size. The measurement across the lower bout is 45.7 centimeters, just short of 18 inches, which makes it a very big guitar indeed, 2 3/8" (6cm) wider than a Martin dreadnought and more than a full inch (2.5cm) wider than a Gibson Super Jumbo.

To integrate his design aesthetically, Klein drew the radii of both bout forms from the same compass point and centered a relatively small circular sound hole at the intersection of the two shapes.

The 45.7's bracing is based on the radical concepts developed by Dr. Michael Kasha and classical luthier Richard Schneider, but Klein added his own twists. Long and extremely thin tone bars intersect with the bridge plate, architectural flying braces offer support without touching the top, and the arms of the traditional X brace are removed so that only the front half touches the top. The guitar also has a zero fret, an added fret wire placed about 5mm from the nut. The nut still controls the spacing of the strings, but the zero fret controls string height thereby eliminating some intonations problems. Advocates of the zero fret also believe that it helps ensure that open and fretted strings have the same sound.